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Baked Thick-Cut Seasoned Oven Fries

Averie Sunshine

4.72 from 21 votes

Updated: Oct 31, 2025

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🥔🍟🎉 These Seasoned Fries are thick-cut and baked rather than fried. They’re flavored with smoked paprika and cumin, and their smoky flavor pairs well with just about anything! 

Homemade Seasoned Fries Recipe

• Warm homemade oven fries smothered in ketchup make my heart go pitter-patter. I used both sweet potatoes and russet potatoes, and they’re doused in plenty of smoky seasoning. They’re like the thick-cut fries you get in a restaurant, but they’re baked rather than fried. So, you can eat more.
• Oven-baked fries never get as crispy as oil-fried fries, but the cornstarch really helps. These are so much healthier than fried fries, making it an easy trade.
• The contrast of the sweetness of the sweet potatoes with the smoky spices makes them so addictively good. And while you can’t taste it per se, coconut oil accentuates the natural sweetness in the sweet potatoes, and the flavors complement each other so well.
• I’m a major ketchup fan and like a little bit of food with my ketchup. The fries were begging to be slathered. They were so good that the baking tray was demolished in less than 5 minutes among 3 people.

What Readers Are Saying:

Delicious! Cut the spices in half and they were gone within minutes! I swear my husband wouldn’t stop eating them! Thank you!

Sheila

This may be my new favorite Seasoned Fries. It is absolutely delicious. I’ll definitely be making this again!

Onchee

Ingredients Needed

For these seasoned oven fries, you’ll need the following pantry staples:

• Potatoes – I used two jumbo unpeeled potatoes, one sweet potato, and one russet. Use three potatoes if yours are smaller, or enough to fill one baking tray completely full. The russet potatoes stay firmer and get crispier on the exterior than the sweet potatoes, and retain a buttery soft, tender interior. Use your favorite combo of potatoes, or even parsnips
• Cornstarch – Cornstarch is a key ingredient in this recipe, and I’m not sure how you’d get the extra crispy texture we want. If you find a cornstarch substitute that works with this recipe, please leave me a comment and let me know so I can try it out myself
• Coconut oil – The coconut oil should be liquid when you toss the potato slices in it. Coconut oil becomes liquid when warm, so you may need to heat yours in the microwave for a few seconds. If you try to toss the potatoes in coconut oil while it’s still solid, the oil won’t distribute evenly, and your fries won’t crisp up. Coconut oil has a fairly high smoke point, which means the oil is less likely to start smoking in this hot of an oven. If you use another oil, choose one with a high smoke point that’s fairly neutral in flavor
• Spices – Smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper. Feel free to use thyme, rosemary, garlic powder, onion powder, dill, or any spice blend you like best
• Your favorite condiments

Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.

How to Make Seasoned Fries

Once you realize how simple it is to make baked fries in the oven, you’ll never go back to deep fried french fries again! Here’s an overview of the process:

1. Place the sliced potatoes in a ziplock bag or large bowl, sprinkle cornstarch on top, and toss to coat.
2. Add oil, and toss again to coat. Then, toss with the seasonings. Some people like to soak potatoes before baking to remove some of the starch. I don’t find it necessary for this recipe, because the cornstarch makes them extra crispy.
3. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet, leaving space between each piece. Bake for about 25 minutes, and flip with tongs.
4. Continue to bake until the fries are soft in the center and slightly crisp on the outside. Adjust the baking time as needed, and keep a close eye on the oven so your baked french fries don’t burn!
5. Serve warm with your dipping sauce of choice.

Fry Dipping Sauces 

5 Easy Mustard Sauces, Dips, and Marinades

Caramelized Onion and Portobello Mushroom Sliders with Fry Sauce

Cheater’s Guacamole

Sweet Potatoes, Creamy Honey Mustard Dressing

What to Serve with Baked Fries in the Oven

Grilled BLT Turkey Burgers

Black Bean Burgers

Kale Caesar Salad with Fried Chickpeas

Baked Bacon Cheddar Chicken Tenders

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4.72 from 21 votes

Baked Seasoned Fries

By Averie Sunshine

🥔🍟🎉 These oven fries are thick-cut and baked rather than fried. They’re flavored with smoked paprika and cumin, and their smoky flavor pairs well with just about anything! 

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour

Servings: 4 servings

Equipment

• 1 Baking Sheet

Ingredients 

• ▢ 2 extra-large or 3 medium/large potatoes, russet or sweet potatoes, washed and trimmed into 1/4 to 1/2-inch slices (I didn’t peel)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• ▢ 2 tablespoons coconut oil in liquid state*
• ▢ 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, or to taste**
• ▢ 2 teaspoons cumin, or to taste
• ▢ salt and pepper, to taste
• ▢ your favorite condiments, for serving

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 425F. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or spray with cooking spray; set aside.
• Slice potatoes and put into a gallon-sized Ziplock.
• Sprinkle cornstarch into bag, seal bag, and toss potatoes to coat.
• Open bag and add oil, seal bag, and toss potatoes to coat.
• Open bag and add smoked paprika, cumin, salt and pepper, seal bag, and toss potatoes to coat. Really manipulate the potatoes all around inside the bag, pushing the ones on the top to the bottom and vice versa, to equally distribute the oil and spices.
• Transfer potatoes to baking tray, arranged in a single flat layer, not quite touching, if possible. They don’t have to be in rows, but I find this easiest when it’s time to flip.
• Bake for about 25 minutes. Remove from oven, and with a tongs, flip potatoes over.
• Return tray to oven and bake for about 15 to 20 more minutes, or until done.***
• Remove from oven and serve as soon as they’re cool enough to eat; fries are best warm and fresh. Optionally, serve with ketchup or your favorite condiments.

Notes

*You may use another oil, like olive, vegetable, or canola.

**You can substitute your favorite seasonings or seasoning blend, if desired.

***Baking times will vary based on your oven, the potatoes and how thick they’re cut, how full the tray is, and how well done you like your fries. Because it’s a very hot oven, keep a close eye on them in the final moments of baking so they don’t burn.

Storage: Once cool, you can transfer leftover fries to an airtight container, and store them in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. To freeze, arrange the baked fries on a baking sheet, and freeze until solid. Then, transfer them to an airtight container or sealable bag, and freeze for up to 6 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 206cal, Carbohydrates: 31g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Sodium: 122mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 2g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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